Moved/Moving/Moo

I'm moving/moved to my new domain/brand/identity/awesomeness. It's called oobbles. It can be found at http://www.oobbles.com Please come visit me there. I will no longer blog here. Thanks for all of your comments and love, moove it on over to oobbles!

Caturday Strikes Again

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General Update

Elsa and Josh are napping, but I wouldn't suppose for too much longer. I've been home from work now for about an hour and a half. I've been surfing the internet and making a to-do list. I'm all about lists. I made a big list today of activites that Elsa and I could do, but when I went to put them on the calender here at home, we had quite a few conflicts with other activities. Oh well, there will be more to do in the weeks ahead.

I tripped on the sidewalk during one of my dog walks today. I scraped my knee up pretty bad. Bummer. UGH, I just heard the cat wretching again and I ran to catch him and toss him into the kitchen. I don't know what his problem is. At first, we thought it was hairballs, then we figured it was his food. He did fine for awhile and now he's all pukey again. And of course he only pukes on the carpet, never on the tile. I have trouble feeling sorry for him when I have to clean up puke all the time. I suppose if he doesn't stop in another day or so, I'm going to have to take him to the vet.

In other news, I'm glad the weekend is here, even though I still have four petsits to do each day. They are easy dogs and they live close so it's not a hassle. Well, the getting up early in the morning will be a hassle. Oh look, here is pukey cat walking into the office making a face at me because I tossed him mid-vomit. Well excuuuuuse me. lol

Last Day To Vote

Today is the final day to vote in Christy's Craft Challenge! What makes it extra special this month? A prize pack of handmade goodies from our own LNKHandmade Team!!

Mothering Repost

I got this in my weekly update email from Mothering.com and felt it so valuable that I wanted to repost it so more may read it. (And when you go to the CR article, read the comments following it, a good dose of common sense!!)

--ConsumerReports.org recently featured a blog entry called “Five Products Not to Buy for Your Baby.” Among those five products are slings and cosleeping devices. The logic is astounding: accidents caused by irresponsible parenting, misuse of devices and, in a few cases, faulty products, have led ConsumerReports.org to urge parents to avoid cosleeping as well as all slings.

Here at Mothering, we believe that babies are born to be worn. Check out Christine Gross-Loh’s “Hold Me Close: The Many Advantages to Wearing Your Baby” and “Babywearing Tips.”

When it comes to cosleeping, we quite possibly have the largest body of information available. Some of our favorite articles include James McKenna’s “Breastfeeding & Bedsharing Still Useful (and Important) after All These Years” and Tina Kimmel’s “How the Stats Really Stack Up: Cosleeping Is Twice As Safe.” When in doubt, simply stop by the Sleep section on Mothering.com.--

Two Excellent Videos

NIN: The Fragile live from on stage, Adelaide 2.28.09 [HD] from Nine Inch Nails on Vimeo.

The Lost Tribes of New York City from Carolyn London on Vimeo.

Just the Funny

Haha, okay, sorry for just comics, but they are so funny.


superpoop.com

superpoop.com

Just Right Now

Just another random very early morning blog post. (Mind dump?)

• Breaking news- the zoo opens today! Josh and I both have to work- me in the am, he in the pm, so I'm not sure if we're going to go. I may take Elsa this afternoon while he's at work, or may wait until tomorrow morning when we can all go together.
• I'm drinking my instant coffee with Caribbean cinnamon creamer. It's the Caribbean that makes all the difference.
• I'm busy reading self help books and crocheting lately. Books on finance and spirituality and parenting. I don't want to reveal the titles, less you try to steal my self-help kung fu.
• I have to leave for work in a half hour.
• We finally (and by we, I mean Josh and his dad) got Elsa's swing set gigantic thing set up yesterday. She loves it, I told her it was her own park. It has a slide and three swings. I can't wait until the weather turns nice for good and we can put some flower pots on it and maybe some pinwheels and wind chimes. Really decorate it up for her this summer.
• I am out of coffee so I am just going to go now.

Another Satisfied Customer

Look at that pure jellyfish satisfaction! ;-) I made an ultra deluxe jelly for my good friend's daughter's 1st birthday! It was a hit!

It's Caturday, Again.

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HAHA! And in honor of caturday, a most excellent lolcat:

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A Baby Chicken

"Treat each customer like they are your best friend, grandmother, and a baby chicken all wrapped in one. Be yourself and joke around, but always be polite and don’t crush or eat them."

The most awesome quote I've read in a long time. From the interview with Allison Cecil of MonkeysAlwaysLook.

Better Late Than Never

I totally forgot to mention I was the Etsy Hooker of the Week!
Please check out the super nice blog post about me. Thanks to all my hooker friends!

New Tattoo

Dragon1, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

Well, here it is! It actually wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but that's okay. It's my own fault for not stopping in midweek to check the art! lol I'm going back in a few weeks to get some more done on my other shoulder and in the middle of my back. Soo, hopefully by the end of April my back and shoulders will be completely done!!

Make Your Own Cat Toys

It's Caturday! Let's talk homemade cat toys!
Holly Tse is living proof that absolutely anyone can take their passion for crafting and turn it into a viable business with little money upfront. It doesn’t matter what you love to do, if you have creativity (which all crafters have in abundance), you can make anything work. She turned a love of playing with her cat and her passion for the environment into a book called, “Make Your Own Cat Toys: Saving the Planet One Cat Toy at a Time”. She created over 50 eco-friendly cat toy “recipes” and self-published the book by herself in her spare time. She used a low cost print-on-demand publisher, taught herself how to use the publishing software and visited Flickr for inspirational cat photos in order to illustrate 114 images for the book in a month.

The end result looks amazing and has received high compliments from a publishing industry professional who has worked on NY Times bestsellers. The book was also featured in The Daily Cat, an online weekly that is nationally syndicated to CBS, FOX and NBC websites.

What really inspires her is hearing how much people enjoy the book. It makes them smile, it gives them something enjoyable to do and they have fun bonding with their pets by playing with the toys they make. As well, she hopes to inspire others to be more eco-friendly and to show them that it’s fun to be green. You can save the environment and also save money too.

For less than the cost of a couple of fancy cat toys, you get 52 eco-friendly cat toy ideas that are fast, fun and easy to make. That’s a new toy each week for a year!
To create the toys, you creatively reuse stuff you have around the home such as packaging, old clothing, and crafting materials.
The book is cute, witty, and fun to read. It’s a great product for crafters who love cats, have friends with cats or are concerned about the environment.

If you would like more information, please feel free to visit her website for the book at:

www.MakeYourOwnCatToys.com

A Habit I Don't Want To Break

Does anyone really just drink one cup of coffee a day? (or *gasp* none at all?) I'm trying to think of the last day that I had one or none, and I guess it would have been a few years ago while I was pregnant. I switched to decaff while I was baking my bun, but really I didn't drink much of that at all, I mean- what's the point? I've been up for a half hour this morning and I've already drank two cups and the only thing stopping me for going for a third is the fact that I'm typing this blog post. Why let that stop me? I'll be right back...

I love coffee, especially Monday morning..., originally uploaded by albaflickr.

There, that's better. I like my coffee with cream and splenda. I am not a coffee snob, I will drink instant, gas station coffee, day old coffee- cold and leftover in the pot from yesterday, etc. I have to say, though, my preferred method of drinking the bean is a nice smooth Americano (with cream and splenda).

P.S. Today's Weather Forcast: Blustery with snow showers. Temps steady in teh mid 30's. Winds at 25 to 35 mph. Chance of snow, 60%. A slushy accumulation of less than one inch. Winds could occasionally gust over 45 mph. Typical Nebraska. And tomorrow it's supposed to be in the mid 50s. LOLZ

Share With You Sunday

Amy's Bridal Shower, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

Today I am sharing love, lots of love.
Love for friends at Amy's Bridal Shower. (And love of excessively high hair!)

Love for Josh and Elsa at his 33rd birthday party.

Love for Lincoln Handmade from the Journal Star.

Ahhh Love.

Score! You Know The Day!

Remy in slaap, originally uploaded by Krabami.

C-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y!
Today I will be celebrating Caturday by drinking coffee, picking up the living room, going to Amy's bridal shower and probably seeing Monsters vs Aliens tonight. How about you?

P.S. You have GOT to check out a second photo of this guy. It is SO funny!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/krabami/3220920016/

Food

I'm drinking instant creamer in my real coffee this morning, as opposed to real cream in my instant coffee, as I usually do.
On that food note- I was recalling this morning a period in my life where I tried to go raw. Raw foods, that is. I was reading this chick's blog and she made it sound so easy and fun. Well, it was okay for a few days, but it was a lot harder than I thought. I don't think I could go 100% raw now, but I'd like to incorporate more healthful foods in their natural state into my whole family's diet. Here is a recipe that looks like it might start me on the right track:

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups pecans
1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded dried coconut
1 tablespoon lucuma powder*(optional)
Pinch Himalayan crystal salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins
10 dates, pitted

Directions

Process all of the ingredients, except for the raisins and dates, in a food processor fitted with the S-blade, until coarsely ground. Add the raisins and dates and continue processing until the mixture begins to stick together when pressed between your fingers. Roll and form into desired shapes and sizes

From Kristen's Raw

This Is Practically Live Blogging

Whatever that is. Me and Elsa are getting ready to go out to dinner for Josh's 33rd birthday! RIGHT NOW! lol

Looking Forward

Princess Belle, Beauty and the Beast, originally uploaded by FrogMiller.

First of all, I should look to the future for excitement and happiness, I am trying to live more in the now. (Thank-you Eckhart Tolle) Buuut, I admit it, I am. I have so much stuff coming up and I love to be busy. Today is work and tonight is knitting group. Tomorrow I'm getting highlights in my hair, it's Josh's 33rd birthday, and we're going out to eat. Friday is work again and then a photo shoot. Saturday is Amy's Bridal Shower. Sunday is... Er... something, I'm sure. And then following soon after is a photography meeting, a meeting with Lincoln Handmade Awesome people, an appointment to get a new tattoo, the Spring Game, Amy's wedding and a whole lot of other fun things. WHEW!

O Hai!

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Busy Spring

It's been busy and it will be busy. Saturday was a full day with work, crafting and Twilight at Amy's. I didn't stay to watch all of the movie, because I couldn't stand the look on 'Bella's face. I just wanted to smack her. Here she is, supposedly madly in love and full of passion for this guy and she never wipes that gaping yet sarcastic smirk off of her face. Blech! What made the books such a good read (it wasn't the author's literary skill) was how well she conveyed/tapped into that primal chemical emotion of passion. The characters themselves were okay, but, at least for me, she had me identifying with the drunk addictive emotion that the beginning stages of loving are filled with.
Anyway, I didn't mean to get into a big book or movie review- that was just my Saturday. Sunday was more work, including some housework. I have some type of clutter magnet in my house (or I'm extremely lazy) and it just makes me depressed. So every few days I make a half-hearted swipe at things, trying to get my crap together. Someday...maybe it will stay.
Monday is more work, then a meeting with a photographer, and maybe some movie watching. Or maybe tv. Does Intervention come on Mondays or Tuesdays? I can never remember.
In other news, I'm enjoying some major bud action around the yard. The bush lilac bush outside my window is actually getting some tiny leaves, it's a step up from bud stage. I'm totally excited for Spring. All of our trees in the back yard are flowering type trees, so they totally rock in Spring.

Share With You Sunday

1236646862641, originally uploaded by Evanovich.

Hello and welcome to the first edition of "Share With You Sunday". Today, I am sharing a funny flickr photo from a flickr friend of mine, Evan. His stream is not for the weak of heart, and I can't in good conscious reccomend it, but I think it's funny. Not much of it is content he produces, rather much of it is found comics and internet memes.
I found this Obama spoof particularly funny.

And The Winner Is...

Sarah of Our House is the winner of Chimera Crochet's grand awesome super giveaway. She will get the prize of her choice from either of my two etsy shops!
Congratulations Sarah!

It's GIVEAWAY Time!

Hello and welcome to my Lincoln Handmade Giveaway extravaganza! Let's cut right to the chase- HOW DO YOU ENTER?!?

Whoa- calm down! It's super easy.
One: Leave a comment on THIS post stating your favorite item, and why, out of one of my three shops:

chimeracrochet.etsy.com
chimeracreation.etsy.com
chimeracreation.1000markets.com

Two: Become a follower of either my blog or my twitter. That's it. Oh, and make sure I know how to contact you if you win!

Now what do you win? Whatever you want! Well, within reason. The winner will be drawn on March 21st at around 8 am and that person may choose ONE item from either of my etsy stores.
Thanks, and GOOD LUCK!

What Am I Excited About?

Well of course I am excited about the huge giveaway week Lincoln Handmade team is having! I am featured tomorrow, so make SURE you come back here and enter for a fab prize!
What else has me feelin it? Well, I was browsing the recently listed items on etsy (towards the bottom of the home page, really, I love this feature) when I saw what appeared to be a large mitten or a oven mitt resting on a computer keyboard. Intruiged and wondering why those two items were together, I clicked! What did I find? A MOUSE MITT!

Seriously, this may not be big news to anyone else, but I thought I was the ONLY person who got 'cold mouse hand' and here was this awesome etsian making a product specifically for my affliction! I was just so surprised, I wrote write away telling them what a great idea they had and asking if I could tell a few more people about it here in my blog. They said yes, so here you go, new product alert from little old me.
P.S. Haha! Check out their WELCOME BACK KOTTER Dolls/Action Figures. Too awesome! And they have a new blog- http://www.baddoggiesblog.blogspot.com/

Promo Poster

Promo Poster, originally uploaded by LynetteFast.

SWEET!
http://lincolnhandmadeteam.blogspot.com all next week baby!

Her First Real Haircut

Her First Real Haircut, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

We had decided to let her hair grow out, but then I talked us both into getting it cut. I just don't want it hanging in her face all summer while we are at the pool! We need something easy and breezy for all the swimming and bike riding and general summerness we have planned. I love it! I wish I could get mine cut like that!

New at ChimeraCrochet

New, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

You can check them out in my flickr stream 1. Pixie, 2. Undead Zombie Cupcake, 3. James, 4. Bunton

Or even more fun- check them out in my shop- http://chimeracrochet.etsy.com The Owlingtons, The Woolingtons and HedgeBalls now have their own sections!!

P.S. Stay tuned to http://lincolnhandmadeteam.blogspot.com for some AWESOME giveaways coming up SOON!

Two Things On My Radar

A Girl and Her Llama by ADR Photographic Art

I love this photo and now I must have my own llamma. (I did buy the print, maybe that will tide me over.)

Also on the radar, a blog I love to read- Romantic History But it is especially on my radar for these little boy rompers. HOW CUTE are those?!?! And she made the pattern up herself. So amazingly talented!

Elsa On Stairs

Elsa On Stairs, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

I love capturing one of those distant glamour shot looks when I'm taking photos of Elsa! lol We've been having SO much fun going to the haymarket, it's like our new favorite place to go. She loves to walk by the trains on the western edge.

Another One

From Bad Joke Wednesday in the Etsy Forums

"Did you hear about the new cordoroy pillow cases?"

"They're making headlines."

. . . . .

Lisa @ Craft Fair

Lisa @ Craft Fair, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

I had so much fun at the Wayne Craft Fair! I sold the most I've ever sold at a craft fair (like FOUR things!) but besides that, it was just such a great atmosphere. They had plenty of food and drink and live music. The ride up was a blast with some super nice chick-fil-a's! I'm so glad I decided to go!

Joke

From my Reader's Digest I just got in the mail:
A guy walks into a bar with a lizard on his shoulder. "What do you call that?" asks the bartender. "Tiny," says the guy. "Because he's my newt."

LOL! I admit, it took me a good 30 seconds and a re-read to get it, but then I totally laughed... out loud even!

Be Safe.

Be Safe., originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

HAHA, this is SO awesome! I got it from Visions in Vinyl
She actually sent me two, so I put one on each side! The color 'ice blue' matches my van perfectly. The Windstar is SO pimpin now!

Lovebirds Mobile

lovebirds mobile, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

Here is my entry for the February challenge in Christy's Craft Challenge. It's a lovebird mobile, and it was really hard to photograph!

7...8...

NEIN!
Haha! I've discovered what is apparently the best thing about teaching a toddler a second language. They are able to say NO! to you in many different ways. It's both cute and frustrating to tell Elsa to do something and have her yell, "NEIN! NEIN! NEIN!" and then have her follow it up with "NO! NO! NO!" just in case we don't speak German. HAHAH! Ich liebe es!
In other news, I just realized I have yet to complete my craft challenge for Christy's Craft Challenge, so I will definitiely be doing that when I get home from work.
In other other news, I think I have received the most awesome flickr comment ever written. I shall recreate it for you here:

From ZNT.HÖLDUM (3:65) O carrot ! carrooooootttt !!!
for th holy head of anubis! she's so..
indifferent.. so indifferent that hurts my feelin's
:)
i like it, & the pills, & the jellyfish
they still behold the homemade style but they're expresive
:)
:)

Sorry, I have a crush.

It seems like he's singing it faster than the other acoustic versions I've heard. What is it about crushes? Do I usually lust after 40 year old balding men? No, well, not usually anyways! I admit it, I enjoy having the drama and rush of a crush. Even a silly one on a star. It is by no means all encomapsing, but it's funny to giggle at myself when I listen to his songs.

Smell Me

So yesterday I was working a booth at the Home and Garden show. It's a booth involving pet products. Caddy corner from us is a bee booth with bee products- honey, beeswax lotion, etc. So anyways, as people walk by I ask if they have a pet at home, so as to acertain if they would be interested in any of our products or services. Cut to scene:
This lady in red is walking down the corridor towards my booth, but she is across the way, stuck in a throng of people. The event was very busy. She makes purposeful eye contact with me and my booth and struggles to get through the people to talk to me. I assume by her delighted look that she must be an animal lover, so as she approaches I ask, "Do you have a dog at home?" With wide eyes she holds up her hand and says, "Smell my hand!" Me, taken aback, smells her hand, thinking the answer to my question must lie in the odor of her fingers. Did her hand smell like dog or something? Nope. Flowers. She exclaims, "Doesn't that smell SOOO good?" I nod dumbly as she walks away.
She didn't even have a pet, she wanted me to smell the beeswax lotion on her hand. Who approaches a stranger working a booth just to have their hand smelled? What a wierdo.

Love For Valentines Day

Love For Valentine's Day, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

Happy Valentine's Day! <3 <3 <3

More of the same.

*moony sigh*
On another note, I have Elsa singing the acoustic version of "Sorrow". I've never seen anything as cute and awesome at the same time before.

Greg Graffin

Hi Greg Graffin, I have a crush on you.


Oh, and hello to Iron and Wine too. I just discovered you and I like you a lot. But not like "Greg Graffin" like you, just like like you.

Faceless

Faceless, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

HEY WHAT'S GOING ON? Not much here. Have you been keeping up with my flickr stream? That's what I thought.
So, I went to the dentist a few days ago for a cleaning and an exam. They decided at my next appointment, instead of fixing my broken tooth, they are going to pull my last three wisdom teeth! AWESOME!
In other news, I crocheted a frog, I did my federal tax, but not my local, I have not yet purchased tickets for the Spring Red White game and I'm looking forward to the LNKHandmade meeting tonight.

Christ, coffee and knitting needles: Spiral Washcloth

These are super cute and I want to make one today.
Christ, coffee and knitting needles: Spiral Washcloth

Custom Closets For Organizing Crafts, Hobbies, and Projects

Custom Closets For Organizing Crafts, Hobbies, and Projects! by Ronald.Eapen

Anyone who enjoys crafts or hobbies knows the frustration of having to dig through everything to find what you need only to have to fight for a spot to work after the search. Many people stuff all of their items into a traditional closet and find it hard to use because they can't see what they have. Custom closets designed specifically for your craft is exactly what you need. Everything is kept neat and tidy while still allowing you to see exactly what you have so there is more time to be creative and less time spent hunting.

Divided Shelving

Laminate sheets, paper, bristol board, wood, and many other items are difficult to store because of their size and shape. You want to be able to see the types and colors you have, but they need to be protected so they don't get bent or ruined. Divided cupboards in custom closes are the perfect solution. Vertical is best for larger sheets. A sliding door works to hide these cabinets when you aren't using them.

Horizontal shelving is ideal for scrapbooking papers, stickers, and other small items. If you are concerned about having them fall out, consider having them installed at a thirty-degree angle and use shallow wire baskets. These are also great for yarns and other oddly shaped items.

Drawers

Smaller items such as pens, pencils, paints, and paintbrushes as well as supplies often pose a challenge for organizational systems. Having a series of small drawers is helpful for these kinds of items. You can fill them with spools, wooden shapes, die cuts and other items and keep everything separated. When you are ready to use them, you can pull the entire drawer out. For larger drawers, be sure to have moveable dividers.

Specialty drawers such as pull out workspaces are a convenient necessity for custom closets. They are great for holding your supplies while you're working, or have them on the end of a countertop to make it easy to work with larger projects.

Containers

Plastic dividable containers are the hobbyist's best friend unless you don't have enough space to stack them up. Make sure to include a number of shelves that fit your various containers perfectly. Adding doors onto each will help you to hide the mass of containers when you're finished. For supplies that are just too nice to hide away, custom closets can have glass sliding doors to keep out the dust.

For ribbon and rolls of paper, custom closets can have an area with lengths of dowel to feed them onto. If you keep the paper towards the work surface, you can inlay a measuring stick and use it to measure out what you need or use the edge of the countertop to tear it off. Have holes routed in the top to sink cups into. You can keep pencils, scissors, paperclips, and other small items in them while keeping them out of the way. For wreaths and other hangable items, use pegboard as a backboard for the unit. It doesn't matter if you have a huge space for a closet in Chicago or a small space in a New York apartment, the only rule with these types of storage spaces is to design them specifically for your items and habits.

Take The Time

As parents and concerned citizens I’m sure most of us at one time or another have been confronted with the question of lead poisoning. But have you asked yourself what your government is doing to protect your children from lead contained in toys? The answer? They're banning toys, taking books from schools and libraries, hurting low income families, killing entrepreneurial spirit and risking putting the economy in an even greater depression than we've seen in decades. I'd like to introduce you to their solution: the CPSIA.

Do you know about the CPSIA? No? Then I ask you to take a few minutes to find out about it.

The CPSIA stands for Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, a new set of laws that will come into effect on 10 February, 2009 and will impact many, many people in a negative way. Make no mistake, this is very real. View it for yourself. If Forbes, the American Library Association and numerous other media are paying attention, perhaps you should too.

How will these new laws affect you? Well, here are a few examples:

To the Parents of Young Students:
Due to the new law, expect to see the cost of school supplies sky rocket. While those paper clips weren't originally intended for your student to use, they will need to be tested now that your 11-year-old needs them for his school project. This law applies to any and all school supplies (textbooks, pencils, crayons, paper, etc.) being used by children under 12.

To the Avid Reader:
Due to the new law, all children's books will be pulled from library and school shelves, as there is no exemption for them. That’s okay though, there's always television. Our children don’t need to learn the love of reading after all.
Article from the American Library Association http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=1322

To the Lover of All Things Handmade:
Due to the new law, you will now be given a cotton ball and an instruction manual so you can make it yourself since that blanket you originally had your eye on for $50 will now cost you around $1,000 after it's passed testing. It won't even be the one-of-a-kind blanket you were hoping for. Items are destroyed in the testing process making one-of-a-kind items virtually impossible. So that gorgeous hand-knit hat you bought your child this past winter won’t be available next winter.

To the Environmentalist:
Due to the new law, all items in non-compliance will now be dumped into our already overflowing landfills. Imagine not just products from the small business owners, but the Big Box Stores as well. You can't sell it so you must toss it. Or be potentially sued for selling it. You can't even give them away. If you are caught, it is still a violation.

To the Second-Hand Shopper:
Due to the new law, you will now need to spend $20 for that brand new pair of jeans for your 2-year old, rather than shop at the Goodwill for second hand. Many resale shops are eliminating children's items all together to avoid future lawsuits.

To the Entrepreneur:
Due to this new law, you will be forced to adhere to strict testing of your unique products or discontinue to make and/or sell them. Small businesses will be likely to be unable to afford the cost of testing and be forced to close up shop. Due to the current economic state, you'll have to hope for the best when it comes to finding a new job in Corporate America.

To the Antique Toy Collector:
Due to the new law, you'd better start buying now because it's all going to private collection and will no longer be available to purchase. “Because the new rules apply retroactively, toys and clothes already on the shelf will have to be thrown out if they aren't certified as safe.” http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123189645948879745.html

To the American Economy:
Already struggling under an economy that hasn’t been this weak in decades, the American economy will be hit harder with the inevitable loss of jobs and revenues from suppliers, small businesses and consumers. The required testing is far too costly and restrictive for small businesses or individuals to undertake.

To the Worldwide Economy:
Due to this new law, many foreign manufacturers have already pulled out of the US market. You can imagine the impact of this on their businesses.

If you think this is exaggerating, here is a recent article from Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/16/cpsia-safety-toys-oped-cx_wo_0116olson.html

And for those of you prepared to be stupefied and boggled, The New Law
http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html

Did you know? If this upsets or alarms you, please react.

Vote Jane!

My Geography Jane (see below) is now in the running to win this craft challenge. I'm all about winning, so please take a moment and give her a vote:
http://christynelson.net/challenge.php

ChristyNelson.net: January Craft Challenge Reminders

ChristyNelson.net: January Craft Challenge Reminders

Geography Jane, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

This is my entry into Christy's Craft Challenge! As Christy puts it in her blog- Materials to be used for the challenge:

green paper
fabric
brads
rubber bands
embroidery floss

You must use at least a little bit of each of the supplies provided. Other than that, you are pretty much free to create whatever you want!

So that's what I did! It was hard to decide what to make, I had quite a few ideas rolling around in my noggin. I decided to make a doll type thing, but even that took some narrowing down. In the end I made Geography Jane, her body is hand sewn, I crocheted her legs and eyelashes and her hair is differently dyed shades of wool and alpaca out of my spinning stash. She has brad and paper earrings. This was a lot of fun and I've already purchased next month's craft challenge so I can do it again!

Housekeeping

I've been doing stuff with Elsa, museum outside inside stuff. Currently she's saying, "Where's the bug mommy?" "Look in room." "Dudde" "Where's bug? Mommy!" I don't even know what she's talking about.
Anyways, I've also been joining artfire (previous post) and today, 1000Markets, which looks pretty freakin cool. I wanted to post a master list mainly for my own reference, but feel free to click away.
WHERE AM I?

• http://twitter.com/ChimeraCrochet
• http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=646651751
• http://www.myspace.com/perkychipmunk
• http://www.youtube.com/perkychipmunk
• http://www.blogcatalog.com/user/ChimeraCreation
• http://www.indiepublic.com/profile/Lisa72
• http://www.ravelry.com/people/ChimeraCrochet
• http://chimeracreation.artfire.com/
• http://www.1000markets.com/shops/chimeracreation
• http://www.chimeracrochet.etsy.com/
• http://www.chimeracreation.etsy.com/
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/chimeracreation/

So I'm Giving Artfire A Try

I figured I'd give the free account a try. I mean, it is free. I have two pills listed there, and I'm debating making it all pills all the time. ChimeraCrochet's Pharmacy, as it were. Speaking of pills, I better make some more, because I have a feeling I'm going to sell out soon. SO either snap up what I have on Artfire (click above) or shimmy over to ChimeraCrochet (link is over there to the lower right) because I just sold another one overnight.

Naughty Prescription For Love

Naughty Prescription For Love, originally uploaded by Chimera Creation.

New in my shop @ http://chimeracrochet.etsy.com are some Prescription For Love Amigurumi Pills. I have a few different kinds listed. They would make a perfect gift for Valentine's Day!

Being Present is a Present to Yourself

From: "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle
Why should we be addicted to thinking?
"Because you are identified with it, which means that you derive your sense of self from the content and activity of your mind. Because you believe that you would cease to be if you stopped thinking. As you grow up, you form a mental image of who you are, based on your personal and cultural conditioning. We may call this phantom self the ego. It consists of mind activity and can only be kept going through constant thinking. The term ego means different things to different people, but when I use it here it means a false self, created by unconscious identification with the mind.

To the ego, the present moment hardly exists. Only past and future are considered important. This total reversal of the truth accounts for the fact that in the ego mode the mind is so dysfunctional. It is always concerned with keeping the past alive, because without it -- who are you? It constantly projects itself into the future to ensure its continued survival and to seek some kind of release or fulfillment there. It says: "One day, when this, that, or the other happens, I am going to be okay, happy, at peace." Even when the ego seems to be concerned with the present, it is not the present that it sees: It mispercieves it completely because it looks at it through the eyes of the past. Or it reduces the present to a means to an end, an end that always lies in the mind-projected future. Observe your mind and you'll see that this is how it works. The present moment holds the key to liberation."

How true, especially if you give that last part a try. Really step back and observe the mind as it oscillates between past and future but never settles on the now. It's amazing and disturbing at the same time. Reading Tolle is part of my voluntary simplicity movement where I am working towards not only decluttering my home, but also my mind! Another interesting this is my friend Amy is also posting on this very subject, as though we were thinking along these same lines recently. You should go give it a read.

Elsa's First Two Years, By Month

Cool Cool

nataliedee.com

Top Ten Change Ideas

The email I got:

We're excited to let you know that this morning we opened voting for the final round of the Ideas for Change in America competition at www.change.org/ideas.

As you may know, we launched the competition back in November with MySpace and more than 50 nonprofit partners in response to Barack Obama's call for citizen involvement in government. First round voting ended on December 31, and the top rated ideas from a diverse range of 7,783 submissions have qualified for the final round.

The final round of voting ends on January 15, and the following day we are co-hosting an event at the National Press Club with the Case Foundation to announce the top 10 rated ideas and present them to the Obama administration. We will then launch a national campaign in coordination with our nonprofit partners to ensure that each idea gets the full consideration of the administration and 111th Congress.

To select your "Top 10 Ideas for America," go to www.change.org/ideas and become a part of the people-powered movement leading the call for change in America.

---

Call To Action

This coming Monday, January 5, is the deadline for comments to the CPSC. The CPSC has asked for comments regarding component testing and natural materials exemptions! This is our chance to speak directly to the CPSC and push them to include these important additions in the CPSIA/provide your personal feedback on anything that hasn't been touched on. Here is the link to the CPSC forms.

More links and comments in the etsy storque.

The First Paragraph

The world is profoundly changing, that much seems clear. We have entered a time of great uncertainty that extends from local to global scale. We are forced by pressing circumstances to ask difficult questions about the way we live our lives: Will my present way of life still be workable when my children grow up? How might their lives, and my own, be different? Am I satisfied with my work? Does my work contribute to the well-being of others--or is it just a source of income? How much income do I really require? Require for what? How much of my consumption adds to the clutter and complexity of my life rather than to my satisfaction? How does my level and pattern of consumption affect the other people and the environment? Is there an alternative way of living that is more sustainable in an era of scarcity? Do I have the flexibility to adapt to a period of prolonged energy shortage and economic depression? In the face of scarcity, is there an alternative way of living that fosters cooperation and community rather than cutthroat competition and social fragmentation? Are there small changes that I could make in my own life that, with many others making similar changes, would result in a large difference in the well-being of others? What are my responsibilities to the other members of the human family who are living in grinding poverty? Am I missing much of the richness of life by being preoccupied with the search for social status and consumer goods? What is my purpose in life? How am I to take charge of my own life?
--The first paragraph of Voluntary Simplicity by Duane Elgin. It gives you quite a bit to think about right off, doesn't it?

Happy Birthday Elsa!

She turned two on December 28th.

Did Doing Will Do!

Just read: Scaling Down by Judi Culbertson; Choosing Simplicity by Linda Pierce and 365 Simple Reminders by Elaine St. James.
Reading: Your Money or Your Life by Dominguez and Robin; Voluntary Simplicity by Duane Elgin and Paganism by Higginbotham.
Up Next To Get: Follow Your Bliss by Sparrow and Zina and To Have or To Be? by Erich Fromm; also some books by Eckhart Tolle
Just Crocheted: A pigtail hat for Leith and a kitchen washrag for Josh.
Am Crocheting: Nothing
Want to Crochet: Not sure, really just feel 'out of it' craft wise.

Was thinking about: The nature of friendships and my difficulty obtaining and sustaing them.
Am thinking about: Cleaning my office, what I can get rid of next. The Gator Bowl
Need to think about: What's next?